The applicant has already developed an apparatus for mechanically manufacturing hams or the like, has obtained a patent therefor, and has marketed this product (refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 164737/1981).
This publicly known apparatus for manufacturing hams or the like is arranged as follows.
Referring to FIGS. 31 and 32, reference numeral 101 denotes a hopper, in which an upper die 102 and a lower die 103 are arranged in a two-split configuration. Its inner peripheral surface is formed in a cylindrical shape, and a meat mass is filled therein. It should be noted that if the shape of the ham or the like is angular such as quadrangular, it is possible to arrange the inner peripheral surface in an angular configuration. The upper die 102 is secured to hinges 104, and as the hinges 104 are rotated about a shaft 105, the upper die 102 is placed on the lower die 103. This operation is effected as rods 106 are vertically moved by means of an unillustrated cylinder and the like via links 107.
Reference numeral 108 denotes a cylinder, and a force pusher 109 is disposed on a tip of a rod thereof. The force pusher 109 is disposed at one end of the hopper 101 in face-to-face relation therewith, and is adapted to force the meat mass filled in the hopper 101 into a meat metering port which will be described later.
Reference numeral 110 denotes a rotating displacement body, which is disposed at the other end side of the hopper 101 and rotates in a forward direction about a shaft 111 in this embodiment.
The displacement body 110 has end plates 112 respectively disposed at opposite ends thereof, and four sleeves 113 are clamped therebetween. An inner port of each sleeve 113 is formed as a meat metering port into which the meat mass is filled, and circular ports are provided in the respective end plates 112 in conformity with the meat metering ports.
Reference numeral 114 denotes a variable metering device, in which the position of a stopper 115, which is inserted into the metering port in the aforementioned sleeve 113, is changed by a handle 116.
Reference numeral 117 denotes an extruding cylinder, which is adapted to extrude the meat mass filled in the metering port in the sleeve 113 to the outside by reciprocating a pusher 128 (see FIG. 36 to which reference will be made later) disposed at a tip of a rod 118 thereof. A discharge nozzle 119 allows an unillustrated casing to be put over the meat mass when the meat mass extruded by the extruding pusher 128 is discharged, so that the meat mass is stuffed into the casing by a manual operation to make a ham or the like.
Referring to FIG. 33, the lower die 103 is affixed to a bed 120, and as the upper die 102 is inserted into the lower die 103, an inner peripheral surface is formed in their interiors.
The upper die 102 is affixed to the hinges 104 via a mounting plate 121, the hinges 104 being rotatably secured to the shaft 105. The rods 106 project from below the bed 120, and are affixed to the hinges 104 via the links 107, respectively. The hinges 104 and the rods 106 are disposed in two pairs on the upper die 102, and the opening and closing thereof are simultaneously controlled via a cylinder 123 and an arm 124 both shown in FIG. 34.
Referring to FIG. 34, the cylinder 108 is affixed on the bed 120, and the force pusher 109 reciprocates in a circumferential inner port 125 of the hopper 101.
The displacement body 110 holds the four sleeves 113 between the circular end plates 112. One of the sleeves 113 is disposed in face-to-face relation with the inner port 125 of the hopper 101, and its inner-side circular port is formed as a meat metering port 126.
The stopper 115 is inserted into one end of the meat metering port 126 to set the axial length of the meat metering port 126. The stopper 115 has its amount of elongation controlled by the variable metering device which will be described later.
A description will now be given of the variable metering device with reference to the parts (a) , (b) and (c) of FIG. 35.
A plate member 139 which will be described later is put on the end plate 112 of the displacement body, and two holding rods 127 project from the plate member 139 and have their other ends secured by a vibration-suppressing plate 128. The holding rods 127 are partially threaded, and sprockets 129, 130 having internal threads are fitted thereon, respectively. A stopper plate 131 is rotatably secured to the sprockets 129, 130, respectively, and a cylinder 132 is secured to the stopper plate 131. The handle 116 is axially mounted on the stopper plate 131, and a sprocket 133 is disposed on the handle 116. As shown in the part (b), the handle 116 is located at a position offset in one direction from the sprockets 129, 130 through which the holding rods 127 are inserted, and a chain 134 is wound around the sprockets 129, 130, 133.
The stopper 115 reciprocatably project from the cylinder 132, and is inserted into the meat metering port, as described above.
A regulator plate 135 is fixed to the holding rods 127 at a position close to the meat metering port. As shown in the part (c), the regulator plate 135 has holes 136 for fitting with the holding rods 127, as well as set screw holes 137 respectively communicating with the holes 136.
Referring to FIG. 36, the cylinder 117 is provided with the extruding pusher 128, which opposes the sleeve 113 of the displacement body 110. The extruding pusher 128 is inserted into the meat metering port in the sleeve 113.
In addition, the disk-like plate member 139 is disposed on the outer side of the end plate 112 of the displacement body 110 in such a manner as to be rotatable about a hinge 140.
The other side of the plate member 139 is fixed by means of a screw 141.
Referring to the parts (a) and (b) of FIG. 37, a joint plate 141 is disposed at a joint between the end plate 112 of the displacement body and the hopper 101.
The joint plate 141 is provided with a hole 142 which matches with the meat metering port 126, and a groove 143 is cut in a vertical direction including the hole 142. An arm 146 extending from a rod 145 of a cylinder 144 disposed underneath the bed 120 is coupled to a rod 148 for holding a cutter 147, and the cutter 147 slides in the aforementioned groove 143.
The operation of the publicly known apparatus for manufacturing hams or the like having the above-described arrangement will be described below.
Referring to FIGS. 31 to 37, the meat mass is first filled into the inner port 125 in the lower die 103 in a state in which the upper die 102 of the hopper 101 is open. Then, as the cylinder 123 is actuated, the upper die 102 is fitted in the lower die 103 via the arm 124, the rods 106, the links 107, and the hinges 104. By virtue of this operation, the meat mass which has been filled into the inner port 125 is pressed with a strong pressure.
Next, the cylinder 108 is actuated, which in turn causes the force pusher 109 to be forced under pressure into the inner port 125 in the hopper 101. The meat mass in the inner port 125 is then pressure-fed to the meat metering port 126 in the sleeve 113 disposed in the displacement body 110. At this time, since the stopper 115 of the variable metering device 114 is positioned in place, the volume of the meat mass pressure-fed to the meat metering port 126 is fixed.
Then, the operation of cutting the meat mass at a joint between the displacement body 110 and the hopper 101 sets in. In this operation, the cylinder 144 is actuated, which in turn causes the rod 145, the arm 146, and the rod 148 to move upwardly, thereby upwardly moving the cutter 147 in the groove 143 to effect cutting.
Upon completion of this cutting operation, the displacement body 110 rotates 90.degree.. When this rotating operation is effected, if pressure remains within the hopper 101, the cutter 147 presses the displacement body 110 and thereby applies a brake thereto, so that the pressure applied to the force pusher 109 is released.
A description will now be given of the operation of extruding the meat mass filled in the meat metering port 126.
When the meat mass forced into the meat metering port 126 from the hopper 101 is rotated 180.degree. after being cut the meat mass is opposed to the position of the extruding cylinder 117. Then, when the cylinder 117 is actuated, the extruding pusher 128 is inserted into the meat metering port 126, and the filled meat mass is taken out from the discharge nozzle 119. In this case, if the filled meat mass is taken out after putting the casing on the discharge nozzle 119, the stuffing of the meat mass into the casing is effected, but a separately installed encasing apparatus may be used to effect stuffing.
A description will now be given of the operation of the variable metering device.
Referring mainly to FIG. 35, if the handle 116 is rotated, the sprocket 133 is rotated. Then, the chain 134 wound around the sprocket 133 causes the sprockets 129, 130 to rotate. Since the sprockets 129, 130 are screwed to the holding rods 127, respectively, as they rotate, the stopper plate 131 secured to the respective sprockets 129, 130 is displaced by a predetermined amount. Since the cylinder 132 is secured to the stopper plate 131, the cylinder 132 is also displaced integrally.
As for the set position of the stopper 115, the position in which the cylinder 132 is elongated most is set as a standard. Accordingly, after the cylinder 132 is actuated and the stopper 115 is elongated completely, the aforementioned force pusher 109 is actuated to fill the meat into the meat metering port 126.
However, if the stopper 115 remains inserted in the meat metering port 126, when the displacement body 110 rotates, it is necessary to pull the stopper 115 in advance out of the meat metering port 126. Therefore, upon completion of the meat filling operation, the cylinder 132 is actuated to pull the stopper 115 out of the meat metering port 126. In this case, if the stopper 115 is pulled too far from the end face of the meat metering port 126, there is the risk of the meat mass in the meat metering port 126 being spilt to the outside due to residual pressure and the like. Accordingly, the regulator plate 135 is provided to set the return position of the stopper 115 to allow the stopper 115 to serve as a closing cover as well.
Referring mainly to FIG. 36, a description will now be given of the operation of cleaning the displacement body.
The variable metering device 114 and the discharge nozzle 119 are respectively affixed to the plate member 139. Therefore, if the screw 141 is removed, and if the plate member 139 is rotated with the hinge 140 as an axis, the variable metering device 114 and the nozzle 119 are opened integrally.
Then, if the displacement body 110 is removed, the displacement body 110 can be removed integrally with the end plate 112. As a result, the displacement body 110 can be cleaned, and the operations of cleaning and replacing the cutter 147 can also be effected.
With the above-described apparatus for manufacturing hams or the like, however, there have been the following problems.
First, in the conventional manufacturing apparatus, the upper die waits at an upper dead center, and the operator supplies the meat mass into the lower die in the meantime, so that there is a drawback in speeding up in the manufacturing process by that portion. In addition, cases were conceivable in which the upper die is unexpectedly lowered by a misoperation of the apparatus by a third person while the meat mass is being supplied.
In addition, since the apparatus is not so structured as to allow the meat juice and meat pieces, which are scattered in the apparatus during production, to be concentrated in one location, the meat juice and meat pieces adhere to various portions of the apparatus, thereby making cleaning difficult.
In addition, although, in foodstuff machines, it is necessary to clean the overall apparatus after completion of the operation so as to be ready for an ensuing operation, with the above-described conventional apparatus, the operations of mounting and demounting the upper die, the lower die, the displacement body, and the pushers are not simple, so that time and trouble have been required in the cleaning operation.
In addition, since the rod of the pusher disposed in the means for forcing in the meat mass is stained by the meat pieces and meat juice, and this rod is drawn as it is into the interior of the cylinder, thereby constituting a cause of malfunctioning.
In addition, since the groove where the cutter is disposed communicates with the outside, when the meat mass is cut by the cutter, there is the possibility of the meat pieces and meat juice leaking through the groove, thereby deteriorating the quantitative accuracy or the yield. Furthermore, there has been the risk of deteriorating the working environment.
In addition, when the meat mass is forced into the metering port and is successively cut by the cutter, if the last meat mass has an insufficient length and needs to be taken out separately, with the conventional apparatus, this residual meat mass is either taken out from the lower die by the operator, or taken out from the discharge nozzle after it is temporarily filled in the metering port. Therefore, there has been a drawback in the operating efficiency in that the operation is suspended in the meantime.
In addition, the displacement body has a central axis and is so constructed as to be rotated by means of the central axis, so that the outside diameter becomes large by the portion in which the central axis is provided, thereby causing a hindrance to the rendering of the apparatus compact.
In addition, with the above-described conventional apparatus, it has been impossible for the meat mass fed between the upper die and to the lower die to be extruded as it is and to be sealed into the casing.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for manufacturing hams or the like which overcomes the drawbacks of the above-described conventional manufacturing apparatus, has high safety, is easy to handle, is hygienic, and has improved operating efficiency.